The morning after their harrowing battle against the Echo was not kind.
Kael awoke slowly, his muscles stiff and protesting every slight movement. His shoulder throbbed persistently, a cruel reminder of how close they'd come to annihilation. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by a dim, ashen sky filtering through cracks in the cavern's roof. Dust particles floated lazily in thin rays of pale sunlight, creating a surreal atmosphere that felt at odds with the brutal reality they'd faced mere hours earlier.
Around him, the others stirred in a similar fashion, each visibly burdened by injuries and exhaustion. Neyra sat quietly against a boulder, carefully wrapping fresh cloth around the deep wound on her thigh. Tarin was nearby, eyes half-lidded with fatigue, nervously tapping his fingers as he checked their remaining supplies. Asha stretched slowly, her usually steady hands shaking subtly from lingering adrenaline. Silas stood watch at the cavern entrance, his silhouette rigid and vigilant against the strange, muted dawn.
Kael slowly pushed himself to a sitting position, gritting his teeth against a surge of pain. Neyra glanced his way, her expression softening slightly with relief.
"Still in one piece?" she asked quietly.
"Mostly," Kael replied, offering a weak smile. "You?"
"Alive," Neyra said, a faint smirk playing across her lips. "Not for lack of trying otherwise."
Tarin gave a tired laugh, though it came out more like a weary sigh. "If I knew field exercises were this much fun, I'd have transferred to logistics."
Asha shot him a dry look. "Logistics wouldn't have you."
Kael chuckled despite himself, warmth briefly replacing pain. But Silas's voice, quiet and serious, quickly returned them to reality.
"We can't stay here much longer," Silas said, stepping away from the cavern's mouth. "If Regis or whoever orchestrated this finds out we're still alive, they'll send something worse."
A heavy silence fell over the group. They all knew he was right.
Kael slowly rose to his feet, feeling every joint ache in protest. He swallowed his discomfort, eyes scanning each of his teammates. "Then we move," he said firmly, though gently. "Slowly if we must, but together."
Each nodded, determination shining through exhaustion.
Outside, the landscape was transformed. The Rift's terrain had warped overnight, twisted by forces they could scarcely comprehend. Jagged stone formations jutted from the earth at unnatural angles, their surfaces scorched and cracked. Ash drifted lazily down from an endless gray sky, coating everything in a thin layer of ghostly powder.
As they pressed onward, the silence was oppressive. The usually vibrant hum of the Rift's wild energy was subdued, replaced by a bleak emptiness that seemed to press against their chests, stealing breath and hope alike.
Kael moved at the front, alert despite the ache deep in his bones. Behind him, Neyra limped slightly, but kept pace without complaint. Tarin, usually animated, walked with grim resolve, occasionally glancing skyward as though expecting the heavens themselves to strike them down. Asha moved with purpose, eyes narrowed against the falling ash, her posture unyielding. Silas held the rear, vigilant and protective, ensuring nothing crept up behind them unnoticed.
Hours stretched by, measured only by their steady steps and labored breaths. Finally, as the false twilight deepened, they reached an overlook. Kael stopped abruptly, causing Neyra to stumble lightly into his shoulder.
Before them lay a wide expanse of scorched earth and twisted metal—the remnants of a structure, half-buried in ash and ruin.
"A relay station?" Asha murmured, cautiously approaching. "We might be able to send a signal."
"Or it might be another trap," Tarin countered, eyeing the structure warily.
Kael hesitated only a moment. "We don't have much choice. If we're lucky, there's something we can salvage."
They descended carefully, weapons drawn, senses stretched thin.
Inside, shadows clung thickly to broken consoles and shattered screens. Tarin immediately began sorting through debris, his movements methodical despite fatigue. Neyra watched the perimeter, her posture stiff with vigilance. Asha carefully pieced together what remained of a communication array, her fingers deft despite the shaking from exhaustion.
Kael joined Silas near a battered metal desk, atop which lay scattered documents, half-charred.
"These are mission logs," Silas said softly, sorting through the papers. "Dated... recently."
Kael picked up a sheet, eyes narrowing as he scanned its contents. "They sent another team. Yesterday."
Silas's jaw tightened. "No mention of us?"
Kael shook his head slowly, grim realization dawning. "We were never supposed to come back. They erased us."
Before Silas could respond, a sharp static hiss crackled from the damaged comm unit Asha had been working on. All heads snapped toward the sound, tension rising sharply.
"Emergency broadcast," Asha murmured, adjusting controls rapidly. Her face paled as she listened. "It's faint, but... Regis has declared this entire area compromised. All teams were ordered to evacuate immediately."
"Evacuate?" Tarin repeated incredulously. "We never got that message."
"No," Kael said darkly, his voice soft but edged with steel. "We weren't meant to."
Silas took a breath, his calm voice breaking the silence. "Then we have no choice but to make our own way back. Regis might've abandoned us, but we won't abandon each other."
Kael met his eyes, recognizing the quiet strength there—a strength he was beginning to understand within himself. "Together," he echoed firmly.
Night fell like a shroud, deepening the shadows that surrounded them as they pressed onward. They walked close, their formation tight, each member silently drawing strength from the others. But even unity couldn't banish exhaustion entirely.
Eventually, Kael found himself beside Neyra once more, their steps synchronized despite their injuries. He glanced sideways, quietly noting the pain etched clearly across her features.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
She smiled faintly, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Does it matter?"
"It matters to me."
Her eyes softened, a vulnerability breaking through her usual armor. "I've spent my whole life learning how to hide pain, Kael. But with you—" she hesitated, her voice faltering slightly, "it's harder. You make it harder."
Kael considered her words carefully, finally nodding. "Maybe that's not a bad thing."
"Maybe not," Neyra whispered, allowing herself a fragile smile. "Just promise me you won't stop caring."
"I promise," Kael murmured gently.
Their quiet exchange was interrupted as Tarin raised a cautious hand ahead. "Something's moving."
The squad immediately tensed, weapons at the ready. Through the darkness, shapes emerged, distorted by the ashen mist.
They weren't alone.
Figures staggered forward—cadets, uniforms ragged, faces pale with fear and desperation. Survivors from another team, lost and broken.
Kael stepped forward cautiously. "We're friends," he called softly, seeing the startled eyes that stared back at them.
One cadet, a young woman barely older than Neyra, stepped forward, her voice cracking with exhaustion and hope. "You're... alive?"
Kael nodded slowly. "And we're going home. All of us."
The fragile relief that crossed their faces solidified something within Kael—resolve stronger than any pain or fear.
He would get them home.
No matter the cost.